


Tell me what's broken (and I'll piece it back together)

by seoulfulnights



Series: Life's full of coincidences [4]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, learning to love again, not a lot of hwh but it's still a hwh series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 15:50:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13193373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seoulfulnights/pseuds/seoulfulnights
Summary: Minhyuk believes he’s not that hard to please so when Hyungwon starts avoiding their weekly date nights, he knows something is wrong. With his best friend gone abroad, who will help him pick up the pieces of his broken heart?Prequel to Life's full of coincidences series.





	1. December

**Author's Note:**

> Did somebody miss this series? ^^  
> This part takes place before any of the previous ones and reflects on how Minhyuk and Hyunwoo came to be a couple, while bringing some more light on Minhyuk and Hyungwon's history, as well as Hoseok and Kihyun's. If you haven't read any of the other parts yet, that's no problem! Just enjoy~

Minhyuk believes he’s not that hard to please since he’s not asking anybody to bring him the moon on a silver plate. All he requires from his boyfriend is to pay enough attention to him, be affectionate from time to time, get down and dirty in the sheets (at least once every few days - he read about it in a magazine, without a proper sex life their relationship will be degraded!) and appreciate his efforts to try and be a good boyfriend in return. And most of all, he wants somebody who is honest and sincere.

So when Hyungwon starts avoiding their weekly date nights that have been a tradition ever since they moved in together, the silver-haired boy knows something is wrong. When the other accidentally ends up sleeping at ‘the library’, he starts questioning everything he’s ever been sure of in their relationships. Perhaps he’s a bit too sensitive, Kihyun told him so once before retracting the statement and saying he’s actually one of the most insensitive guys he’s ever met because Minhyuk cracked yet another short-height-closer-to-hell joke. Maybe he is this paranoid because they’re so close to their nine months anniversary, yes that must be it. In reality, there’s no reason to worry about. 

Tonight, Hyungwon’s been out again - more exactly, he never came back from his morning classes. Minhyuk waited for him until noon in bed and even sent his boyfriend a photo of him (half-naked) in an attempt to make him drop by for lunch (and a quicky). The reply he got was far from the one desired, just a dry refusal with a counter attack of meeting Changkyun for lunch. Again, his thoughts drift towards unwanted grounds but he decides to shoo them away but cleaning the whole place up and filling up the fridge with groceries. Being productive always helps get rid of bad thoughts after all. And because he just needed to do more, he also gets started on dinner so it’s nice and hot by the time his boyfriend comes home. If he were a woman, he’d say he’s pretty damn close to wife material. 

But he isn’t one, nor has Hyungwon returned yet, although it’s getting dangerously close to midnight and the food is long gone cold on the table. The silver-haired boy would doze off curled up next to the dinner table if he weren’t so worried about his boyfriend. He tried calling Hyungwon, yet it goes straight to voicemail. He tried calling some of their friends instead, but the only who’s even seen him all day is Changkyun for lunch. Contemplating whether or not it’s too early to go to sleep (maybe lock Hyungwon out of his own room too), Minhyuk startles when he hears keys unlocking the door and, like a needy puppy, he rushes to welcome the one he’s been waiting for. 

“Where have you been?!” It’s very possible that shouting loudly enough for the old lady next door who’s half deaf to have heard him. Hyungwon visibly cringes as he takes off his coat quietly before slipping out of his shoes. Minhyuk crosses his arms waiting for an answer and trying not to display the sheer anxiety that escalated with the tall boy’s appearance. Don’t lie to me, don’t lie to me, he repeats over and over in his mind in an attempt to calm down as the brunet walks up to the kitchen, glances at the plate waiting for him and then puts it in the microwave to reheat it. 

“Campus,” Hyungwon shrugs blinking sleepily as he watches the timer countdown, looking very much the image of a man who couldn’t care less about anything in the world. Minhyuk feels like pulling his hair at this point is appropriate, and so is shouting something childish like ‘liar’. As though sensing the burning lasers shot at his head, Hyungwon glances back at the slightly older one before adding, “I went to the library after classes. Met with Changkyun too for lunch.” 

“Why are you lying to me?” Minhyuk finds himself hissing out, too consumed by rage to hold back from picking a useless and baseless argument. Truthfully he has no idea if the other is really hiding something from him or not, but he knows for sure something’s not right. Even though Hyungwon’s a tsundere by definition, he’s always acted a bit more affectionately towards Minhyuk and since they’ve got together, the ice barrier that the brunet insists on maintaining melted a bit more every day. But now it appears to have returned in full force and with no warning.

He misses the time when he was able to make the difference between  _ I’m tired  _ and  _ I don’t care _ , when he and Hyungwon were just great friends and he had a one-sided crush on the former model. Actually, if he thinks better, he doesn’t quite miss the heartache of unreciprocated feelings he experienced back then, but it still can’t be compared to the one he feels incoming. Disappointingly enough, Hyungwon just keeps quiet even when Minhyuk goes in his own bedroom and slams the door behind himself. The bed is colder than the December night outside, but something tells him the temperatures are only gonna drop from now on. 

 

***

 

“I just don’t get it, Kihyun,” the silver-haired pup sighs and plops down on a chair at their usual table. The photographer takes the one across from him and Minhyuk can tell he bites his tongue back from nagging ‘I told you so’, although his best friend’s opinion of Hyungwon has never been a good one nor has he restrained himself from expressing it. Has he reached such a pitiful state that even the witty short boy takes mercy on him, knowing how close he is to crack? “I mean, he’s never even told me he loves me and ever since my birthday we’ve been having fights every other day.”

“Are you sure you’re having fights and you’re not the only one who gets worked up? I can’t imagine that rat arguing with you, he’s way too passive,” the brown haired replies in a bored tone while browsing the bar’s selection of drinks and ignoring how his words get his friend fuming. He’s heard this speech seven times already though and tonight they were supposed to go out for drinks and enjoy themselves. Still, Minhyuk is his best friend, a pain in the ass that he cares about and whom he can’t let suffer like this. “Look, the only good thing I can say about those lazybones is that he’s such a sloth he wouldn’t run off and break your heart. Or do something more stupid, like cheating.” 

Kihyun realizes he’s picked his words wrongly only when he glances at Minhyuk and finds him pale and completely lost in space, not saying a word but eyes empty and staring at nothing in particular. “That’s it,” the silver-haired stage whispers to himself as though he made a very important discovery. The color suddenly returns to his face in shades of red that should match the levels of reached anger. “That’s it, Kihyun. He’s cheating on me!” the younger suddenly shouts and his chair almost drops onto the floor from the speed with which he got up. 

Let it to Minhyuk to cause a scene, Kihyun thinks as he tries to make the other sit back down before the waitress glaring at them throws them out on the streets. It takes two threats and three promises of free dessert before Minhyuk finally settles down pouting like a small baby, but Kihyun doesn’t find it in himself to scold him this time. He knows that though childish at times, his best friend’s behavior is only due to a great desire to be loved and appreciated and feel like he matters to someone. Sadly, there’s no way for the photographer to imagine Hyungwon filling up that role of lover Minhyuk needs so greatly, as wild as his fantasy can get at times. 

“I’m sure that is not the case, but you two should definitely talk about what’s bothering you. Corner him so he has no escape.”

The future daycare teacher sighs and sinks down into the cushion of his seat. Kihyun is right, he and Hyungwon really need to talk about what’s going on between them and about this sudden cold wall that was built up overnight. There’s no use making up scenarios yet, especially when he is aware just how strongly Hyungwon upholds morals and honesty in general. So with a new-found energy, he puts his trademark smile back on and nods, determined to stop worrying for today and enjoy instead his last couple of hours together with Kihyun. After all, his best friend got a scholarship abroad in Paris of all places and they won’t be able to meet for a long while without needing a webcam. 

His plans to spend the day alone with the other get stepped on when Hoseok, Kihyun’s boyfriend, suddenly sneaks up on them and covers the photographer’s eyes with his hands. “Guess who!” he sing-songs cheerfully before bending down and kissing the shorter guy like he’s the Spiderman. Minhyuk tries not to pout, he’s always wanted Hyungwon to act as cheesy as Hoseok does around Kihyun but his own boyfriend doesn’t even accept to go on double dates. “I missed you too much, hope you don’t mind,” the blond grins.

Kihyun sighs wistfully, “I told you before, today I was supposed to hang out with Minhyuk alone.” Both Minhyuk and Hoseok visibly cringe hearing the brown haired’s cold tone. Furthermore, seeing how dejected the dancer looked is like looking into a funny mirror for the sad puppy, which prompts him into kicking his best friend in the shins and turning towards the newly arrived boy with a big smile.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it. You can join us,” it’s only then that Minhyuk notices a second guy standing a few feet behind Hoseok, awkwardly shifting from one leg to another. His first thought is that the muscular one looks like a huge and soft teddy bear. His second is that he must be a dancer, just look at those guns! Minhyuk suddenly catches himself off guard, it’s been a long while since he checked out a guy who’s not Hyungwon. But really, he’s just appreciative of a well-sculpted body - completely innocent. “Your friend can join us too,” he adds with a much softer and somehow shy smile. 

Being acknowledged makes Hoseok’s friend act even more awkward, though the way his eyes crinkled into crescent shapes is simply adorable for Minhyuk. “Hi. Hello. Annyeong,” he stutters out, unsure of which greeting to use and ending up saying all three of them. “My name is Hyunwoo,” the second dancer introduces himself with a clumsy wave of hand, lost from how gorgeous Minhyuk’s smile looked like. From the side, Hoseok raises an eyebrow amused at what is going on and makes a mental note to warn the other later that Minhyuk’s actually taken. And besides, Hyunwoo never showed interest in any guy. Interesting. 

 

***

 

This is Minhyuk’s favorite time of the year: Christmas. Sure, there’s still over a week left until the magical day but there’s no reason why he can’t start decorating the apartment a bit early. Actually, he’s in such high spirits he also cooked Hyungwon’s favorite once he was done hanging up tinsel and mistletoe everywhere (he’s keeping the tree for the 23rd though), even though since they’re previous fight his boyfriend has become even colder. And to be honest, for a brief moment, Minhyuk worried he and Changkyun were having an affair behind his back until he remembered that the youngest member of their friend group still has a crush on one of his roommates, Jooheon.  

Looking in the mirror and adjusting the Santa hat he’s wearing, Minhyuk sighs heavily, his thoughts not matching with the festive atmosphere spread throughout the apartment at all. Now that Kihyun’s gone to France (although ahead of schedule since the photographer wanted to make a tour around Europe before his term started in January), there’s nobody to bring his feet down to the ground and shake some common sense into him. There’s nothing wrong between him and Hyungwon, absolutely nothing wrong, Minhyuk repeats to himself as he waits for his boyfriend to return home. 

Hyungwon arrives early. Or what is considered early in comparison with recent times. Nevertheless, it makes Minhyuk happy and it gives him hope that they’ll be alright. So he doesn’t hesitate one second to jump into Hyungwon’s unexpecting arms and kiss his cheek with perhaps a bit too much love. “Welcome home, Hyungwon-oppa~” the silver-haired sing songs as he places deer horns on top of the taller’s head, grinning up at him sweetly now that they match. Maybe with some more kisses, he could even paint Hyungwon’s nose red and turn him into Rudolph. 

“It’s not Christmas yet,” Hyungwon comments with a raised eyebrow as he eyes Minhyuk’s Santa hat. He’s spent yet another day locked up in books at the library, getting the needed headstart for his final paper at the end of the year, and all he wanted once he got back to his apartment is to take a warm bath, eat a bit and then sleep for the next 24 hours. The literature student realizes this plan is as good as dead when Minhyuk glomps him like that and it’s so obvious from how the older’s eyes glinted that he won’t get out of this easily. “I’m tired, Minhyuk,” he sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, successfully taking off the childish headband. 

“Oh, your very personal elf knows exactly how to get rid of that, deer,” the older teases, leaning in for a kiss while his hands shake off Hyungwon’s heavy coat and let it drop to the floor. He knows how his boyfriend can get, from cold to hot-blooded and worked up in a matter of seconds, all he has to do is play the keys right and lead the other towards the bedroom. His fingers are about to reach for the former model’s belt, but he’s quickly stopped by a slap across his knuckles. “I said, I am tired, Minhyuk!” Hyungwon repeats himself, trying to push aside the other boy and escape the smothering scenery without another word.

Grave mistake, judging by the sudden grim expression that crosses Minhyuk’s face. Hyungwon can almost see it coming but it still slaps him in the face. “Are you cheating on me?” As much as Minhyuk tries to stay calm, he just can’t, there are feelings inside about to burst he can no longer hide. The accusation just spills out rapidly in the same rhythm with his shaking heart and his thoughts are all over the place, climbing up the walls and turning this room and moment into a cell of his panicked mind. He gulps a few times, trying to control all the anger boiled up for the past weeks as it slowly resurfaces in the worst of moments. 

Silence. They can both hear the big clock in the living room, time passing by as neither of them dares to disrupt the silence of their breathing, the irrational fear or complete shock they’re each feeling. Suddenly, the window slams itself open, pushed by a strong flurry of wind and thin snow - Minhyuk forgot to properly close it after he was done cooking. The cold slips into the festive apartment and the decorations hung up everywhere seem to be made of sharp ice, each stabbing Minhyuk’s heart repeatedly as he stares his answer right in the eye. There’s no need for evidence. Silence tells more than enough. 

“You don’t love me anymore, do you?” It comes out much bitter than the silver-haired is used to speak and would have probably been but a small choked laugh, were it not for the desperation that messes him up so bad he can’t distinguish between his emotions anymore. Hyungwon’s only ever heard Minhyuk’s voice this stern once, on a chilly spring night on the rooftop of some party over at somebody’s dorm, trembling as he confessed his true feelings that are more than platonic towards the brunet. Hyungwon has been uncertain of the right way to reply so he ended up kissing Minhyuk instead with no further explanation.

Minhyuk remembers that night very well, it was the first time in years perhaps that he felt so cared for, like somebody actually treasures his existence and is glad he exists. Later on, Hyungwon did show his feelings are actually reciprocated and that he cares deeply about his friend - would they have ended up living together if that weren’t true? He’s been a patient man, he’s not that hard to please and he’s tried his best to ignore the rising wall between the two of them, the lovelessness in Hyungwon’s embrace, the long moments of silence prolonging on for days. Still, all that Minhyuk does is to wait and wait for some sort of proof, a kind word, an affectionate gesture,  _ anything _ . 

Nothing. As if Hyungwon’s been turned to stone, no words come out of his chapped and cold bitten lips. He just stands in the middle of the hallway, Minhyuk’s fists gripping on his sweater tightly while tears start falling from the older’s eyes. He’s a fool. A complete utter fool. This, all of this has been just in his mind, grown out of his pathetic need for attention and care. A complete idiot. 

 

***

 

Waking up to loud banging in the middle of the night is the last thing Hyungwoo wished for after a 12 hours practice for their dance crew's Christmas show. Maybe he was actually inside a dream and all he had to do is roll over on the other side of his bed and wait for the noise to disappear. But ignoring the problem at their front door till it hopefully went away, didn't work in his favor. Neither did Hoseok, the actual light sleeper of the two and a curious bunny by nature, who only bothered to shout so kindly from the next room.   
  
“Hyunwoo-ah, I'm on Skype with Kihyun! Go answer the door!” Here goes his salvation. For a moment Hyunwoo really considers cutting off their WiFi connection since the router is placed right under his nightstand but knowing how emotional his roommate can get, the ongoing banging from the entrance would then be joined by waterfalls with Shin Hoseok’s signature on them. Groaning, he feels a nice headache coming his way just in time with Hoseok's second shout to “just open that fuckin' door”. Yeah, right, whatever. Serves him right for being the single one.  
  
With a heavy sigh, the tall dancer finally sits up and surrenders to the cold embracing him once he kicks off his warm comforter. With every step on the cold tiles, another knock joins the now aching dull in his head and he doesn't even notice that he’s only clad in tight briefs and completely forgot the shirt until he opens the door wide to welcome their unwanted nightly intruder.   
  
Except it’s not really an intruder nor is he entirely unwanted. It’s the fairy he met but a week ago in some coffee shop when Hoseok decided out of the blue to surprise his now long-distance boyfriend. Although both of them were exhausted from practice and Kihyun already had plans with a friend, nothing could stop Shin Hoseok from his quest. Hyunwoo, in turn, has been mesmerized by that beautiful bright smile in the blink of an eye, but now the essential trait that makes Minhyuk so recognizable among a sea of people is wiped out and gone like Hyunwoo’s plans to go back to sleep. Staring at those puffy eyes, the dancer realizes something bad must have happened, yet just like back at the cafe, Hyunwoo is unable to utter any intelligent sentence and barely speaks out an awkward, “H-hello?”  
  
He immediately regrets opening his mouth when a new stream of hot tears starts rolling down Minhyuk’s cheeks and the beautiful boy’s hands tighten on a backpack Hyunwoo didn’t even notice before. The silver-haired looks completely lost and so fragile that he fears the wind might make him shatter into tiny pieces right on the doormat. “I-I’m so sorry, I don’t have anywhere to go. I d-don’t know why I came here, I shouldn’t have bothered you, oh God, I woke you up, didn’t I? It’s so late already and -” Minhyuk starts a panicked ramble, eyes wide and skinny figure trembling beneath the warm fluffy sweater he’s wearing.   
  
The overwhelming anxiety the other must be feeling hits Hyunwoo like a brick of walls falling on top of his head and he’s nailed on the spot, not knowing how to react. Luckily for both of them, Hoseok pops up from his bedroom at that very moment carrying his iPad in one hand, Kihyun’s face displayed on the whole screen. “Minhyuk? What is going on here?” Hoseok asks puzzled and the photographer’s voice immediately peaks up at the mention of his best friend’s name.  
  
Blinking away the tears glued to his eyelashes, Minhyuk finally enters the apartment trying to contain his sniffles as his backpack falls off his shoulders and he snatches the device right out of the blond’s hands. “Hamtaro, I was right! He did it, he cheated on me!” he cries out as he presses the other’s image to his chest, a heartbreaking sob shaking his whole being. The pitiful crying is interrupted slightly by an angry tone guiding Minhyuk to go sit somewhere and hold the camera at a different angle so Kihyun could see more besides his friend’s chin. The two dancers left amiss in the background exchange confused and worried gazes before Hoseok motions for his hyung to give the others some privacy.   
  
Almost robotically and with a blank look on his tired face, Hyunwoo glances one more time at a crying Minhyuk on their couch while Kihyun’s much softer and understanding voice echoes through the speakers. It’s terribly quiet for a while, neither him nor Hoseok knowing what to do or say in this situation and sitting at the kitchen’s table without saying anything. He cheated, is what Minhyuk told Kihyun, the words ringing in Hyunwoo’s ears like a horrible song you can’t get out of your head no matter how hard you try. Such a cruel thing, what heartless bastard could do something like that to a sunny person like Minhyuk?   
  
“Should we make some tea?” Hoseok asks in a whisper, his eyes shifting ever so slightly to the sound of muffled cries coming from the next room. Without waiting for a response, the blond sets off to fix some special Mamma Shin’s cure that always seems to work wonders whenever he or his friends are sad. And since it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what caused Minhyuk’s meltdown, he makes sure to make the hot chocolate extra sweet. His flatmate, however, is too zoned out to notice how he’s rummaging through cabinets for cocoa and cups and marshmallows. Something just didn’t click in his head. If he and Minhyuk were closer, perhaps Hyunwoo would have been able to offer some solace to the other. But he’s not and neither is Hoseok in fact, so how come Minhyuk wandered all the way up to them for a place to stay?   
  
By the time his friend places three steaming mugs on the table, there were no more hiccups coming from the other room, just hushed whispers which Hyunwoo tries his best not to eavesdrop on. “Hoseok, Minhyuk used to live with his boyfriend?” the older asks quietly all of a sudden, afraid the one in question might hear him. The blond just nods quietly and juts his chin for the other to go on with his point while he adds a bit of cinnamon to their drinks. “It’s almost Christmas...Let’s take him in until he finds somewhere else to stay,” Hyunwoo suggests hesitantly but, just as expected, Hoseok has nothing against the idea.   
  
“I’m glad we’re friends, Hyunwoo-ah,” Hoseok confesses with a small smile on his lips. “Always thinking of others’ well being first, you’re gonna make somebody really happy one day.” And with that he exits the kitchen to bring Minhyuk a much-needed mug of cocoa love, Hyunwoo a few steps behind, awkwardly leaning against a wall as Hoseok offers their new friend a place to stay. The brilliant smile they receive is rewarding enough for Hyunwoo to forget he has to wake up in a couple of hours or that it will be hard to accommodate all three of them in this tiny apartment. Yet when he drops a fluffy blanket over Minhyuk in the morning on his way out, he can’t help but feel that everything's about to change.


	2. New Year's Midnight kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Hello. Annyeong  
> I'm back ^^

It takes a few days for Minhyuk to pack up all his stuff left at Hyungwon’s, mostly because he does it on his own when the other isn’t at home. They haven’t talked since that night when the silver haired just grabbed his backpack, filled it with necessities and left but perhaps it’s better this way - he can’t imagine facing his ex-boyfriend ever again. His chest stings painfully at the word and at the memory of their fight, still, Minhyuk knows there’s nothing else to do now but move on. Hours-long of videocall with Kihyun helped him soothe his mind to some extent. And the two dancers who let him crash on their couch until he can manage something else were nothing if not kind and sympathetic to his situation.

He’s been thinking about going back home to his parents in Gwangju until winter break is over, but he can’t afford to be a bother to his family now when money is tight. He’ll have to find a job soon and a place to stay and he still has one term before graduating and stepping into the real “adult life”. He used to have a solid plan, it all seemed so easy only a few weeks ago when imagining his life without his lanky boyfriend was downright laughable. He loved Hyungwon and Hyungwon loved him, it was simple as that. Minhyuk and Hyungwon forever and ever and nothing could tear them apart.

“That snake,” Minhyuk curses as he takes one more look at the apartment and his eyes land on a framed photo from last summer in the living room. They celebrated their three month anniversary at a theme park where the older insisted they take the most dangerous rides and scream their lungs out from fear. It had been such a fun experience Minhyuk, doped up on adrenaline,  made the other swear they’d come again for their first year together. Something completely impossible when they broke up two weeks before hitting their nine-month mark.

“What a joke,” he spits out and throws the frame on the ground, wincing when he hears the glass shatter. Or maybe that was the sound of his own heart breaking over and over again while this house absorbed the last bit of his sanity. Ripping the photo in half might have been a bit too much, but Minhyuk doesn’t even care at this point as he struggles to carry the last two heavy boxes back to Hyunwoo and Hoseok’s place. At least, the older dancer was waiting for him outside in a rented car just like the previous days too. It makes Minhyuk smile a bit, it’s been a long while since somebody has been this kind towards him.

“I should have gone upstairs to help you with those,” Hyunwoo says as soon as Minhyuk steps out on the street and relieves the younger of the cardboard boxes. The shorter boy’s smile only gets wider when the other still insists on the topic, although he told him this is something he has to do by himself. “These are the last ones?” the black haired asks and Minhyuk can’t help noticing how cute his expression was. Like a big cuddleable teddy bear. Hyunwoo looks exactly like the type to give good hugs, unlike Hyungwon who’s always been too bony and so fragile Minhyuk feared he’d break him in half one day.

“Minhyuk?” the teddy bear calls out again and the younger finally snaps out of the strange daze that clouded his mind. He responds with yet another smile and a nod before his mouth starts doing that thing again where he talks about random topics like Hyunwoo’s day or what they should have for dinner, anything as long as there’s no silence. Because silence makes him more aware of his thoughts and that’s not a good place to seek refuge at the moment. However, something is different today. Even when his heart aches terribly as the car goes further and further away from Hyungwon’s place, even as he slowly processes this was the last time he stepped into that apartment, even when their fight replays in his head, Minhyuk is still able to smile at Hyunwoo without it being forced.

He can proudly say it’s been over 36 hours since he last cried over Hyungwon and him breaking up, mainly because his hands were always busy doing something. If it wasn’t cooking for the boys then it was cleaning, or doing the groceries (he insisted on gratifying their kindness in some way and being of some use to the household). Kihyun’s stern words also played a role in this, the photographer giving actual advice among a string of insults addressed to the stupid frog prince.

“Come on, idiot. You don’t want Hoseok and Hyunwoo to be witness of your ugly crying face, do you?” Call Minhyuk shallow, but he won’t let two hot guys see him this vulnerable again. Especially not when they’re making such efforts to cheer him up. He noticed from the very second day of his stay, for example, how the taller slowly warmed up to him and from barely exchanging greetings they managed to have fully coherent conversations. He appreciates it. And it looks like Hyunwoo appreciates it when Minhyuk smiles, so he’s gonna keep doing that despite all the pain locked in his chest.

 

***

 

Minhyuk has a conflicted relationship with winter. He absolutely loves the holidays, gift giving became somewhat his specialty over time while the coziness and the merriness that take over each household fill him up with joy and hope for an even better year. And each year he makes sure to keep a couple of days just for the family and the closest of friends. The last three he spent with Hyungwon, be it in their hometown or in Seoul, and always as friends. This year, however, was supposed to be their first year together as a couple and Minhyuk had been looking forward to it for so long. He had it all planned out: a movie marathon interrupted just by food, cuddles, and sex - even Hyungwon as picky as he is most of the time would have loved it.

But instead, he is here. Watching the snowfall from the kitchen’s window in Hyunwoo and Hoseok’s apartment, feeling nothing related to the happy season. Instead, he wonders if the vile wind seeped into his bones and turned him into this cold and empty shell. For a while he considers making himself feel full again with one of those cigarettes Hyungwon loves so much but he quit fooling around with smoking after a few unsuccessful attempts to pick up the bad habit in high school. There’s no need for nicotine to have a bitter taste in his mouth and not even the remains of cocoa from Hoseok’s stash help him out.

Talking about the blond, he’s gone until the New Year’s Eve to stay with his beloved mother (he knew from Kihyun that the other adores his mom even before they met) and recently returned from abroad brother. Which leaves him and Hyunwoo completely alone. At first, Minhyuk felt really bad that the older has to suffer such a cruel fate and be stuck with him on Christmas, but Hyunwoo reassures him countless of times that if it weren’t for Minhyuk he’d have spent these days all alone with Hoseok gone. Still, when he can barely hold back from crying his eyes out (again) and all he wants to do is mope around the apartment, the former sunshine ray fears he’s been turned into Grinch. He fears he’s never going to enjoy Christmas again, that he’ll never enjoy being around people again, and worst of all that he’s never gonna be able to fall in love with somebody like he did with Hyungwon.

Surprisingly, the easiest day has been the first one. After the groundbreaking revealing of Hyungwon’s infidelity, the shock turned Minhyuk into a helpless broken boy, unable to process the events taking place around himself. Then slowly, it started to burn until it branded his heart with a deep cut scar that would refuse to close. And here comes in the despair and agony, the terrible ache to reach for his phone and call Hyungwon, to send him a text or leave him a message, to constantly check his ex-boyfriend’s social media accounts. He felt pathetic to the core and weaker than ever before as he had sudden outbursts of tears whenever he was alone. How is he supposed to move on when all he thought he knew, everything he believed in was turned upside down?

Chinese water torture seemed bearable when the maddening question kept popping in his head: was he not enough? Who was the other person Hyungwon turned to,  and what could he have done to avoid this whole mess? In his own lunacy, Minhyuk imagines how it would be if the doe-eyed poet he loves so much searched for him and asked for forgiveness if he’d beg on his knees for Minhyuk to take him back if they’d give it another try. It’s been two weeks since their breakup and perhaps today, the day of their anniversary, he feels the empty spot beside him even colder than before. But there’s still no sign of the other caving in and looking for Minhyuk, if one is to ignore Changkyun’s attempt to find out what happened between the former couple.

“Let’s go out for dinner tonight,” Hyunwoo suddenly materializes and the heartbroken boy almost drops his mug on the floor tiles as he sees the taller man lean against the doorframe. He blinks confused at the invitation, until now they’ve either shared what Minhyuk cooked or they’ve ordered some cheap takeout, but they’ve never gone out to a restaurant. Heck, he hasn’t been to a restaurant with Hyungwon for so long either. Hyunwoo seems to catch how he worries his lower lip between his teeth as he tries to do his budget for the rest of the month, so he is quick to add, “My treat, please. And we can go for a walk afterwards to see the lights around the square.”

It would be simply dumb for him to refuse such an offer, right?

The dinner goes much better than he could have expected, and Hyunwoo even manages to make him laugh a few times with funny stories once he’s asked to talk some more about himself. The silver haired learns quite a lot in just a little over an hour about the quiet man who seems so intimidating at first. From how he broke his arm in sixth grade playing football to the time his dog ran away and it took him years to figure out his parents just didn’t want him to know Taro was run over by a car, from how he fell in love with dancing to how he met Hoseok.

This is so nice, he remembers thinking at a point as Hyunwoo’s eyes turned into half moons again and basically disappeared behind a goofy smile. The atmosphere is easy going and despite the place being crowded with couples and families, it still feels intimate enough for Minhyuk to say out loud his thoughts. “I’m really sorry, Hyunwoo-hyung. I’m grateful for what you did this couple of days, like you’re so nice to me even if you don’t have to be,” he needs to stop for a moment and collect himself as his chest tightens.

“But all I can think about while you tell me about your trip to Hong Kong is that I wanted to go there with Hyungwon and he’d never budge. When I make something for us to eat and you thank me I remember how he never really bothered to do that. When I go to sleep and don’t feel him next to me it’s suffocating. He’s there all the time and I don’t know what to do to make it stop hurting.” Although his rough voice cracks up as the last word is uttered and his lower lip starts trembling like he’s about to cry, Minhyuk tries to hold it all in and clings to the last remaining dust of dignity he’s got left.

Hyunwoo goes awfully silent and once again there’s an awkward imaginary gap between the two of them that the moodmaker can’t bring himself to blow away. The younger boy takes deep breaths to calm his rapidly beating heart. His eyes are fixated on his fidgety fingers while they play with the hem of his yellow sweater. Funny, he bought it with Hyungwon too after the other said it complimented him well. Why can’t the picture of that tall brunet just fuck off and get out of his head? With this horrible ramble he’s completely ruined his and Hyunwoo’s Christmas dinner, Minhyuk’s so sure of it that when he feels a hand squeezing his arm it takes all his will not to fall off the chair.

“Before living with Hoseok, I used to share an apartment with my ex-girlfriend. We, ah, dated for a while and I could imagine us settling down for real. One day though, she left.” Minhyuk’s eyes widen almost comically as he hears the dancer’s confession. They tiptoed around this particular subject and the frail boy figured out quickly his current flatmate isn’t one to openly talk about feelings, so hearing Hyunwoo speak about an ex-lover is uncharacteristic, to say the least.

“It was messy. But we talked it out, you know. And it helped and we ended up staying friends, though it hurt at first. Ah, yeah,” Hyunwoo goes on, switching back to his robot self while rubbing the back of his neck as a tic. Minhyuk would laugh if he wasn’t afraid of choking on tears before any sound would manage to vibrate its way out. Still, his frown is turned into a neutral expression and then, on a much softer tone and without avoiding eye contact this time, Hyunwoo mumbles words of a wisdom Minhyuk didn’t know he possessed. “It hurts a lot, Minhyuk-ah, and there’s no cure or painkiller that can fix it. There is no shortcut to healing a broken heart. But with time, it will fade. I promise you.”

It’s probably the longest the brunet has ever talked without being prompted and encouraged beforehand, at least in front of Minhyuk. This, in turn, makes the younger’s aching heart suddenly swell with conflicted feelings. Hyunwoo is someone you can confide it, Minhyuk has noticed that from day one. But hearing that sweet speech based on personal experience, knowing that yes, Hyunwoo trusts him enough to open up like this in front of him, it all makes his tummy twist nervously and while a thrill brings shivers down his spine. This is something he shouldn’t be feeling, not this soon and not for someone who isn’t Hyungwon. And certainly not for someone who is as straight as a ruler.

Such a tensed up moment is not on Hyunwoo’s liking in the least, instead of taking his dongsaeng’s mind off the recent events and cheering him up he worsened the situation. He holds back a discouraged sigh as he waits for Minhyuk’s response.After a long debate with himself, the dancer reached out a few days ago to Hoseok’s boyfriend for the first time ever in order to ask him about Minhyuk’s likes and dislikes or if there is anything in particular that could cheer the other up. Kihyun, albeit dumbfounded at first, stares for a moment at the stoic bear on the other side of the screen before exclaiming that an enigma like his best friend can't be squeezed into some words.

So instead of making him a list for which Hyunwoo has even prepared a notepad and a ruler, a link pops up in the chat window, followed by the advice to "just take a peek at the colorful parrot named Lee Minhyuk" for himself. From there Hyunwoo opens up a tumblr blog, full of bright photos of paintings and couples and more recent posts on breakups and heartaches. Some of the things discovered could have been guessed without any help (Minhyuk loves Christmas and puppies and children and taking long walks in the park) while some raised his eyebrows up a few times (rants on how much he hates cucumbers, but his love for cola is borderline exceeding to addiction).

He spent quite some time crafting up this little plan so the resident fairy’s holidays wouldn’t have been completely ruined. Perhaps he wouldn’t experience it with somebody he loves, but Hyunwoo tried his hardest to make Minhyuk enjoy the time spent in his company. Anything just to see that brilliant smile again. “Thank you,” the silver haired whispers, teary eyes wide and vulnerable and the older man wants to reach out and embrace him to offer some comfort. Instead, they enjoy their dessert in silence, Hyunwoo not daring to start another topic of discussion and not even knowing what else he could talk about, and Minhyuk uncharacteristically not in the mood for conversation.

Despite the meltdown experienced, they go on with their initial idea and after dinner they walk around town, wandering through the crowded streets of Seoul even brighter than usual with their Christmas lights merrily hanging. It is beautiful, stunning even, if only it would cheer up Minhyuk’s mood a little. But with so many couples passing by, holding hands and bickering playfully, Hyunwoo understands how this might feel like burning alcohol on a fresh wound so eventually, they head back home.

Rarely did the apartment looked as festive or as cheerful as it does now, Christmas tree illuminating the dark hallway and guiding them towards the living, stockings put up comically on the walls, and a wreath sitting off-centered on the coffee table with a candle in its hole ready to be lit. In the two years they have roomed together, neither Hyunwoo nor Hoseok bothered much with Christmas decorations, especially since they’d usually spend most of the time either at their parents’ houses or out with friends. But when Minhyuk complained about what a grinch his ex-boyfriend used to be, how he never let him put up a tree or any other decorations, Hyunwoo felt like he’d kick a puppy if he didn’t offer his guest to decorate to his heart content.

To complete the scenario, Hyunwoo suggests they watch together one of those Christmas-themed western movies Minhyuk likes so much after the younger goes to change into his striped pajamas. The wide smile shines brighter than the fairy lights five feet away and the dancer is almost blinded. What a hopeless situation. Once settled on the sofa with a soft blanket over them, they tune in to Netflix where Minhyuk scrolls for a while before picking something. Hyunwoo doesn’t really pay attention to the plot, subtitles switching before he gets to read them at points. He’s just too distracted by the warmth lump that is a slouched Minhyuk on his side. If his whole arm cramps up and goes numb, the dancer completely ignores it and doesn’t move one muscle in order not to disturb the fast asleep boy.

 

Hoseok returns home the next morning, tummy full of his mama’s delicious cooking and body still drowsy from waking up this early after a few good days of sleeping in. But the image he finds on his very own couch is like a splash of cold water that makes him see he’s missed quite a few things while gone. Or perhaps he failed to notice something all along? Either way, he sneaks a quick photo to send to Kihyun before proceeding to slowly approach his roommate and their guest, cuddled up on the couch and sleeping soundly. It turns out to be a difficult task to wake up Hyunwoo without getting attacked and mauled over by Minhyuk’s claws. Still, he persists - they have an early dance practice with the rest of the crew for their upcoming New Year’s show after all.

 

Minhyuk wakes up sort of cold despite the fluffy blanket dropped over his curled body. He remembers watching some movie (or was it movies?) with Hyunwoo last night after returning home but then nothing. “Must have fallen asleep,” he mumbles sleepily to himself before stretching out his limbs as far as they can go. Yesterday has actually been a great day all in all. He and Hyunwoo had a marvelous dinner together, they got to see the Christmas lights decorating the city square and then even indulged in his little wish to make it a perfect Christmas. Well, almost perfect. Minhyuk remembers, face palling from embarrassment, how he just cracked in the middle of the restaurant, ranting away about how horrible his relationship with Hyungwon had been.

Throwing the blanket off, his bare feet touch the cold floor revealed where the carpet doesn’t cover it and make him shiver. Time for a cup of warm coffee and some breakfast. “Hyunwoo?” he asks loudly, his voice echoing in the empty apartment. Seems like he’ll eat on his own, judging by the lack of response. Before he can completely get up and pad his way to the kitchen, however, he notices a little plushie on the coffee table by the couch. It’s not just any plushie, Minhyuk realizes, eyes widening. “A worry eater!!” He’s seen those little things online a couple of weeks ago and spammed his blog with how cute these little monsters are and how he so needs one.

He gently picks up the white and blue striped monster and giggles at the pretty pink bow on top of its little head, so not matching the big zipper that’s supposed to be the mouth. There are lots of colorful notes next to where the toy was put, and Minhyuk notices the first one is written. ‘ _Merry Christmas! For when I’m not there to listen_ ’. And doesn’t that just melt his heart out? Hyunwoo went all out and did this much for him to be happy, knowing how much this holiday means to him. Hyunwoo who weeks ago was but a stranger. Sweet Hyunwoo with his big muscular arms that could smash him in a hug.

Woah, that line of thought strays dangerously close to some ideas that are a big no-no. Not this soon when his heart is still bleeding (at that, he can hear Kihyun nagging about how he should have just gone to study drama, not pedagogy). With a deep breath, Minhyuk reaches for the conveniently placed pen, grabs a clean note and scribbles down his first worry. ‘ _Falling for somebody while still loving H._ ’ Just writing the words makes him feel more at ease already and the next note he makes is mental - to thank Hyunwoo properly for such a thoughtful gift with his favorite dinner. Now, he only has to text Hoseok to find out what it is.

 

***

 

 

_the Worry Eater from Hyunwoo_

  

***

 

New Year Eve’s much easier to plan out than Christmas for sure since both dancers already have official plans. Their crew is going to have a performance a couple of hours before the clock strikes midnight and then they’re going to party like it’s the end of the world. Minhyuk is definitely down to let loose. But the closer they get to the big event, the more he realizes that what he sees in the mirror doesn’t look like himself anymore. He’s lost some weight (as if he wasn’t skinny enough before), there are circles around his eyes darker than his Halloween makeup from that one year, and he has a hauntingly hollow look overall. Jesus Christ, how come people don’t run the opposite direction when they see him is a total mystery. But he has a plan to fix this.

When Hyunwoo and Hoseok return home after practice, Minhyuk welcomes them with two big bowls of ramen and a warm smile that triggers the blond’s suspicions. There is something fishy going on, but hopefully, he’ll be able to dodge the situation and pass it on to his hyung (not like the other would mind, considering how much time the two spent together ever since Minhyuk took over their couch). His hunch turns out to be right when the silver haired boy pulls out a box of hair dye as soon as the dancers put their chopsticks down. “Would either of you help me with this?”

Que to Hyunwoo and Hoseok exchanging an awkward look and uncomfortable silence filling in the kitchen. Never one to let the youngest down though, the black haired coughs awkwardly before speaking up. “Ah, I never dyed my hair so I don’t have experience with that. Sorry, Minhyuk-ah.” The other dancer narrows his eyes at such an excuse, almost hissing out a ‘traitor’ as he turns to the little mooch living with them, determined not to get involved in this. But Minhyuk is giving him this hopeful look, wholly resembling a little puppy left out in rain and abandoned and, unfortunately for him, Hoseok is weak for the whole pretty boy pouting aesthetics.  

Their bathroom is way too small for two people to stay bent over the sink, especially when one is as muscular as Hoseok, but they make do. Minhyuk is once again uncharacteristically quiet, a stark contrast to the loud practically flamboyant boy the blond met many months ago when Kihyun introduced his best friend. And as the back then new boyfriend in the picture, Hoseok had been duly interrogated about his honest intentions regarding the photographer, from questions as absurd as ‘do you have any children out of wedlock?’ and the size of his dick to some more down to earth ones like where he sees himself in the next five years.

But that spark that animated Minhyuk’s loud mouth in the past is mostly gone now, although he could still catch glimpses of it whenever Hyunwoo made the younger smile or laugh. “So why red of all colors?” Hoseok asks in an attempt to lessen the strange mood. Minhyuk hums in return, appearing to think seriously about his answer but ends up simply shrugging. That clearly is not good enough for the blond who insists further. “I mean if you wanted to mourn your love or something you could have returned to black.”

“I’m tired of sulking and moping around all day over that jerk,” the sad look in Minhyuk’s eyes doesn’t match his bright features at all, in fact, Hoseok can already see Hyunwoo doing everything in his power to turn that frown upside down. Actually, not only would his roommate try to cheer up the younger boy, he’d also hit Hoseok for being responsible for Minhyuk’s mood suddenly dropping like that. And Hyunwoo always hits hard, the dancer already winches at the ghost pain spreading down his biceps.

“I see. You and Hyunwoo have been spending a lot of time together recently, haven’t you?” Minhyuk’s eyes widen at such an allegation and he turns around so fast Hoseok almost drops the plastic bowl in which he mixed the dye on the floor tiles. His question didn’t sound like a question at all and an accusatory tone slipped out without the dancer meaning to sound like some prosecutor. His eyes find Minhyuk’s before the other casts them down in shame (or is it guilt?), yet a simple look is enough to confirm Hoseok’s guest. “He might not look like it but Hyunwoo’s a sensitive guy, Minhyuk. He’s not all beef, ya know?”

Despite being slightly relieved that his roommate’s unworded feelings are returned in some measure, now it’s Hoseok’s turn to doubt the sincerity of those very feelings. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Minhyuk whispers and avoids even glancing in the mirror in front of him. For the past weeks Hoseok remained silent and said nothing regarding Hyunwoo’s habit to catch up on sleep during their practice break since his hyung still offered great performances even if his lack of rest was obvious. He also said nothing whenever he caught Minhyuk rambling away on the couch to a drowsy looking bear although it was past two in the morning. He kept quiet when he found them only a few days ago all cuddled up on the couch and asleep. But now he’s drawing the line.

“For fuck’s sake, Minhyuk! That guy spends his nights listening to your whining and then goes for thirty-minute naps in a crappy plastic chair during dance breaks. That’s how gone he is on you. And don’t you dare play with his feelings or I swear I’ll kick you out myself, I don’t care if Kihyun breaks up with me for it, got it?!” The sudden explosion takes both of them by surprise and leaves Hoseok panting, his nostrils all fired up as he takes off his rubber gloves and throws them in the sink. The tension is so palpable, both boys are sure that if the photographer was here, he’d be able to capture it with his camera. “Just wash up your hair and you’re done,” is the last thing he says as he slams the door behind him, giving Minhyuk all the alone time needed to mull over things by himself.

 

***

 

And Minhyuk did think over all the things Hoseok said (more like shouted) to his face that night - thankfully, the other guy in the apartment was already fast asleep in his own bed and heard nothing of their dispute. Yet perhaps he should have thought harder or maybe actually take Hoseok’s warning seriously because there was definitely more space left to brood before he ended up in this position. Drinking a lot has been exactly his plan ever since he found out about the party, not a wise plan in the least but nonetheless a plan. And with every shot he took and every guy he turned down because honestly, he was so not in the mood to have some stranger’s tongue in his mouth, the louder Hoseok’s words resounded in his head.

He could almost visualize it. His best friend’s boyfriend dressed in a white toga doing little to cover his chest and abdomen and with a harp in one hand chewing his ear off for his irresponsible behavior and dictating him ways to avoid Hyunwoo. After all, facing the dancer in such a state and after the older had that excessively hot dance solo is no good idea in anyone’s book. However, sometime after the sixth shot little angel Hoseok receives company in the shape of Minhyuk’s own self. Except he’s all clad in red leather and wears one of those devil horns hair band. “Come on, Minhyuk. It’s almost midnight, you _must_ have a midnight kiss or you’re doomed to be unloved for a whole year!” Absolutely illogical, stupid, an absurdity that could not be comprehended. Yet to Minhyuk’s intoxicated mind it made total sense.

The seventh shot bottomed up gets him suddenly tackling Hyunwoo, the power of his attack surprising the older and sending him straight into a wall. Behind them, people were already impatiently counting the last sixty seconds left of the year, but Minhyuk barely hears them, sounds muted by the loud beating in his own chest. He glances up and his eyes meet Hyunwoo’s - to his surprise, no longer showing that soft teddy bear that coddled his broken heart until now. Perchance, the fresh redhead is not the only one who consumed more alcohol than he should have. Definitely not if the way Hyunwoo’s hands grip his waist and pull him closer, one arm wrapping tightly around his middle, is any indication.

“ _10, 9, 8!”_

As the countdown reaches its end and people celebrate loudly all around the crowded club, Minhyuk slams his lips against Hyunwoo’s hungrily, the little devil and angel on his shoulders puffing away. With bodies flush against each other, Minhyuk whimpers as the dancer responds eagerly, pouring gasoline on the fire ignited by their liplock and confessing all the things that could not be said through this one kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that's the perfect point to end this chapter, don't you agree?  
> 


	3. Happily ever after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lifetime of sunshine, a lifetime shared with the most precious fairy on earth, a lifetime of utter happiness. Hyunwoo couldn’t ask for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and finally we have reached the end of this sidestory. I enjoyed writing showhyuk so much here so don't be surprised if from now on I'll have more stories focused on them

They don’t talk about it. Although they spend the whole New Year’s party making out in a corner or dancing in another, not even one word is uttered regarding their situation the next morning. Minhyuk wakes up as always on the two dancers’ couch, his head pounding like a drum from a dreadful hangover. He pulls the blanket higher until it covers his head completely and curls up in himself, even if his muscles feel stiff and sore - there’s only little comfort in sleeping on a couch after all and it’s never easy to recover from a night of partying a bit too wild. When his mind is finally able to subside the horrible feeling of having rocks thrown at him and focus instead on trying to stay awake, the redhead suddenly becomes very aware of last night’s happenings.

“Ah, fuck,” Minhyuk mumbles, burying his head in his pillow and groaning in one of those ‘can i delete my existence’ moments he goes through more and more often. Well, no use crying over spilled milk and he’ll figure out a way to face Hyunwoo again later. But first, coffee. Making his way to the kitchen for a much-needed cup, he notices how there’s only him and a sleeping Hoseok around for now, which both calms him down and unsettles him at the same time. He tries to be as quiet as possible while preparing some breakfast for all the inhabitants of the apartment while also attempting to find a solution to the dilemma he’s gotten himself into.

One, he’s not totally over Hyungwon and thinking about his ex-boyfriend still hurts. A lot. Just this simple thought and the afferent image of the model that pops up in his head gets Minhyuk to wince. But for one night, he managed not to think about the brunet even once, which brings him to the next issue. Second, he is definitely attracted to Hyunwoo and although he’s believed the older to be straight so far, their reciprocated and heated yesternight kisses say a totally different thing. And third, he can’t live here anymore and mooch of both Hyunwoo and Hoseok forever. Although, he must admit that right now the urgent need to flee stays at the core of this decision.

Not much later, when Hyunwoo returns from his morning jogging - the habit is so deeply imprinted he can’t even skip the first day of the year - the black haired finds his tenant at the kitchen table, coffee mug empty beside him and the light of a laptop illuminating his beautiful face. “Morning,” he greats unsure of how to proceed further. He thought that perhaps running by the Han river will help clear his mind of the party but the memory of Minhyuk jumping in his arms and hungrily attacking him with kisses is still very much vivid. It even makes a small blush creep on his cheeks the moment Minhyuk looks up at him with a brilliant vibrant smile and responds cheerfully to the greeting.

It’s blinding and it’s too early to deal with his own feelings, so the dancer tries to keep himself busy otherwise. Hyunwoo pours himself a cup of coffee as well, even if it’s a bit cold by now, and sits down beside the younger boy, peeking at the screen to see what he could be doing first thing in the new year. “Apartments?” the dancer asks dumbfounded while he stares at the open tabs. Probably over a dozen with places to rent in Seoul or even nearby, a whole nightmare Hyunwoo has gone through himself before settling for this tiny shoebox with two bedrooms. “Ah, yeah,” Minhyuk giggles nervously, a hand coming up to scratch mindlessly at his chin. It looks really smooth and Hyunwoo remembers the feeling of their skin coming in contact. He quickly shakes his head to get rid of the distracting thought. “I need to get my own place at some point, right? So I’m trying to find the best offer.”

Hyunwoo won’t deny nor say out loud that he already misses having the redhead fairy’s presence in his apartment - it’s really not his place to have these mixed feelings. Moreover, he’s aware that Minhyuk can’t become a permanent flatmate either. There simply isn’t enough space, unless they share a room, which probably isn’t the best of ideas considering what happened at the party. Before he could reach a dangerous mental territory, Hyunwoo is snapped out of his musings by an adorable whine. “Why is everything so expensive in Seoul?” Minhyuk complains before planting his forehead on the keyboard. Ah, here it was again. He really hates seeing Minhyuk distressed like this. Hesitantly, Hyunwoo pats his back sympathetically in his still characteristically awkward manner.

“What’s your budget? I’ll ask some friends if they know any place available to rent,” Hyunwoo suggests kindly and Minhyuk’s head immediately snaps at him, eyes wide and sparkly and mesmerizing. I’m fucked, the dancer thinks when the redhead suddenly wraps his arms around his neck and pulls him into a tight hug. It’s warm and cozy and how could somebody not crave more of that sweet sunshine? He slowly wraps his arms around Minhyuk’s waist, hugging back but not without being reminded for the millionth time already of their kiss. What Hyunwoo fails to realize, however, is that Minhyuk’s thoughts mirror his own and - worse - he’s very tempted to just tiptoe a bit and press his lips against the older’s cheek. Or lips, whichever he could reach first.

But he doesn’t. Because it’s not fair to either of them and while the only person that’s been running around his mind since even before the party is Hyunwoo, he’s still not ready to move on to another man, no matter how beautiful he was inside-out. So he squeezes the older’s thick body tightly before letting go completely and smiling widely with gratitude. “You’re the best, hyung!”

 

***

 

It’s about three weeks later that Minhyuk realizes just how horrible it is to befriend Hyunwoo. Despite him being a social butterfly for basically the entirety of his life, that trait only helped him get around and enlarge his circle of acquaintances which nonetheless doesn’t translate into having lots of friends. In fact, he could count them on the digits from one hand and ever since the breakup he’s lost three more - or four, though he’s unsure if he could deem Gunhee, one of Changkyun’s roommates, as a friend too.

Either way, his recent lack of friends has led to him spending more and more time with Hyunwoo, who is just too good to belong to this world. Not only is the dancer there every waking minute when Minhyuk needs him, always answering the redhead’s bothersome texts and giving him a hand when in need (which is still quite often). On top of it all, Hyunwoo goes out of his way to make time for Minhyuk despite having a very tight schedule - Hoseok’s words about how the brunet sometimes catches up on sleep in the practice room come to mind, especially when they talk the night away until sunrise about all and nothing. Minhyuk loved every minute of it, but a little voice in his head reminds him he’s gliding on thin ice.

Can he be blamed for it? Anyone would fall in the same net of daydreams and fuzzy feelings if they were introduced to Son Hyunwoo. At some point, Minhyuk started questioning whether or not the dancer was even human in the first place. One night while he was still sleeping on the couch, Minhyuk even contemplated sneaking into the older’s room and pad down his back just to see if he has wings or not because the man is surely an angel.

An angel, dressed in a wife beater, all sweaty and building his shelving system bought from one of those Swedish stores. Too many lines taken out of porn movies crossed his mind for the past hour while Hyunwoo hit all the nails with a hammer in the right places. He almost slipped and suggested the brunet to also nail him hard like that if he’s in the mood, but luckily his nonexistent mouth-to-brain filter suddenly decided to be born and save him the embarrassment. “Ah, I feel really bad for this, hyung,” the redhead pouted from his cozy spot, cross-legged on the sofa, warm cup of tea between his delicate fingers that never used a hammer before. Not to say they’re not good with other handwrought things.

Hyunwoo just glances for a fragment of a second at him, gives him a small awkward (and adorable) smile and then goes back to work. “Don’t worry about it. I offered to do this, right? It actually saves me of working out at the gym with Hoseok this week.” At that snarky comment, both of them chuckle, aware of how far the blond’s able to push his own limits, as well as others’. “And besides,” the dancer adds before raising his shirt to use the hem as a wiper and clean some of the sweat dripping down his face. The unintentional smooth move resulted in some very hot flash of abs that gets Minhyuk’s face as red as his hair. Hyunwoo remains oblivious, however, to what was happening a few meters away from him.

Obviously, befriending somebody with whom you’d rather eat lunch if it was served off their naked body is not Minhyuk’s most brilliant idea to date far. And now he has to suffer the consequences. Painful, agonizing hours (and boners) of suffering while the kind and hunky Hyunwoo helps him move into a new apartment that just happens to have been acquired only because Hyunwoo knew a guy who knew another guy who knew about this place. It’s totally frustrating how somebody can have such a golden heart clad in a matching golden body. His mind leaves the rails right then and wonders if Hyunwoo’s cum is also made of gold but that thought is too weird even for himself. “B-besides?” Minhyuk asks in a small voice when the other man has been quiet for too long.

“Ah,” Hyunwoo mumbles as though he's forgotten he hasn’t finished his thought uttered less than a minute ago, too engrossed in his alpha behavior. _Alpha behavior? What the fuck Lee Minhyuk, stop reading weird erotica_ , the redhead mentally scolds himself. “And besides, you promised to cook dinner in return. And I’m not in the mood to go home only to share Hoseok’s noodles again.” Once again, they both erupt in loud laughter at the expense of one of mentioned blond’s obsessions. Although his own metabolism works more than fine and he’s been blessed with the ability to eat a menu for six people without gaining even a pound, it’s still impossible for him to understand how Hoseok can eat so many carbs and still keep that greek god body.

One excruciatingly long dinner later where Minhyuk tried his hardest not to ogle a freshly showered Hyunwoo, the two end up in front of the tv like every other night spent together, not really paying attention to the movie playing but making small talk over it. They’re sitting closer than usual, however, a small detail the younger doesn’t miss at all. It’s hard to when Hyunwoo is basically a human furnace, emitting more heat than the sun. And it’s so freaking tempting to just lean in and rest his head on the brunet’s shoulder, close his eyes and just enjoy the feeling of having such a great person beside him. But that would be weird, wouldn’t it? So Minhyuk holds back from acting on his instincts.

Until he makes the mistake to glance up at Hyunwoo next time the older speaks about some plot key point that he’s completely missed. As soon as their eyes lock, Minhyuk feels like he was thrown into a cauldron by a witch and left to simmer. Before he can stop himself from spacing out on his friend, the other is already looking at him expectantly, waiting for some kind answer. “Uh, I…” Minhyuk stutters out, trying to figure out what he could have been asked, but how could he even try to be rational when Hyunwoo is right there looking like a five-course meal and having so much patience with him it almost makes him cry. So instead of doing the rational thing and asking Hyunwoo to repeat whatever he’s said, Minhyuk does the more _Lee Minhyuk-thing_ : jumps up from the couch as though somebody poured hot wax on him.

“Ah, it’s so hot in here!” he exclaims while crossing the few steps to the windows and opening them wide. The fresh air helps clear his mind if only for a second before the harsh winter wind hits him in the face and makes him realize his behavior certainly can’t be categorized as normal. “M-much better,” he tries to grin, although his teeth were almost chattering from cold. Hyunwoo keeps quiet from his cozy spot on the couch, bear eyes blinking confused at the boy in front of him but not revealing much else. Blushing full of embarrassment he does not want to admit, the redhead eventually closes the windows back and returns to his snug position, this time covered by a fluffy blanket he shares with the other.

Hyunwoo simply smiles and resumes their movie talk, this time making sure Minhyuk is following him. And he was, even though his mind is troubled and tired from running in circles. He allows himself the luxury of leaning on the other’s muscular arm if only a tiny bit and closing his eyes which started to hurt from the artificial light. Next time he opens them though, he’s being carried in Hyunwoo’s strong arms to his own new bed after falling asleep during the film. He’s too beat to thank the older in too many words once his head hits the fluffy white pillow, but his mind is as hyperactive as ever, popping up thought bubbles like a junkie pops pills. How can a sweet man like Hyunwoo put up with somebody as loud and obnoxious as Minhyuk? It’s a mystery that has yet to be solved by the future kindergartener but for the millionth time that week, Hoseok’s words cross his mind.

 _That’s how gone he is on you_.

 

***  


Living so far apart from your best friend is heartbreaking, honestly, and Minhyuk often finds himself sighing like he’s in one of those 2000s pop-rock music videos, glancing out the window and wondering how much longer Kihyun’s gonna be gone on his abroad term. It’s not like they don’t talk at all because they text whenever they’re both awake - an eight hour time zone difference greatly interferes with that, however. After three weeks with no calls though, both decide enough is enough and purposefully make time to skype each other.

Minhyuk almost tears up seeing Kihyun’s bright face, a big smile splitting his face in half, but he claims his suddenly emotional state is due to the other’s ugliness, a sore sight for his sensitive eyes. The shorter retaliates by asking whether an angry crowd decided to throw rotten tomatoes at Minhyuk and thus the new hair color. Five minutes in the call and it’s already like Kihyun never left to begin with.

“But Hamsterki, you’d look so good with pink hair again!” Minhyuk whines to this laptop screen at the photographer from across the other side of the globe while the slightly younger guy only rolls his eyes at his best friend’s nature to be overdramatic. He’s been trying to convince Kihyun for over half a year now to go back to that hair experiment he did as a freshman in college. “Fine, be like that. But you have to tell me what happened between you and Hoseok.” At the mention of his boyfriend’s name, Kihyun freezes and looks anywhere but at his screen, afraid of what expression he might find on Minhyuk’s face. Instead, he opts for the dumb card and just shrugs casually, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit!” Minhyuk explodes, fist slamming into his desk beside the keyboard and startling both of them. “I went to their place yesterday and when I asked ‘what’s up’, I thought your hot bimbo was gonna strangle me with his ramen. And he told me he wishes you’ll never come back!” His breathing turns slightly uneven after letting all of that out of his system, yet the vent did nothing to calm him down. Instead, Minhyuk’s as fidgety as ever, Kihyun’s silence very unsettling and after more than a minute of no sound and no movement, the redhead wonders if their video call is blocked or frozen. “Ki?” he calls out to his friend who sighs pitifully.

“Promise me you won’t overreact,” Kihyun asks, voice stern and cold and Minhyuk really hates it. But he nods nonetheless, sitting on the edge of his chair while waiting for the whole story. The photographer hesitates, which really - Minhyuk feels insulted his best friend is obviously hiding something big from him, but he remains quiet for now. In such situations, to get something out of Kihyun you must be patient. “So, remember I told you I’ll go to Lyon with some other exchange students, right?” Again, Minhyuk nods. He remembers this from last week when his friend told him full of excitement that he managed to get a ticket. “Well, after sightseeing and other tourist things, we went out for a couple of drinks. And I said I’ll only have a few shots because alcohol is different here, but in the end, I got wasted.”

The line goes silent again. Minhyuk hesitates before asking the million dollar question. “And what is Hoseok so mad at you for? People get drunk all the time, unless...” There’s a mix of conflicted emotions crossing Kihyun’s face from guilt to shame and definitely uneasiness. Although he can’t see it, the older guy is convinced he’s also moving his leg restlessly from nervosity. “Kihyun, what did you do?” he presses again, voice louder and tone firmer. Another heavy sigh from Paris and then more silence. Minhyuk feels like he’s going crazy before his friend finally gets the guts to explain himself.

“I and Hoseok had a couple of fights lately, you know, because I’m here and you guys are there and I’m not coming back anytime soon either. And I was pissed at him, I mean he’s being selfish, right? He doesn’t think at all at what’s best for me and only wants to keep me there with him and …”

“Don’t tell me…” The sudden rant takes Minhyuk by surprise, but he can see exactly where this is going and he so hopes he’s wrong for the sake of Kihyun and Hoseok’s relationship. Unfortunately, he’s not at all.

“And there’s this guy in my ‘History of Art’ class and he also came with us in Lyon. And, fuck Min, I don’t know what I was thinking but I was drunk and mad at Hoseok. And then Arthur was so charming and I didn’t understand anything he said because of his accent but it didn’t really matter because then we were making out.” For a moment, Seoul and Paris were matching and time stood still for both capitals while Kihyun confessed his wrongdoings. He’s too afraid to looks his best friend in the eye for the fear of being judged as he ends lamely, “I came clean to Hoseok about it a few days ago, I guess he still hates me for it…”

It’s rare for _the_ Lee Minhyuk, who could talk to anyone about anything anywhere and anytime, to be caught off guard. The last time it happened, Hyungwon broke his heart. He’s very confused as to what he’s supposed to feel. Honesty, he never considered his best friend to be the type who cheats - though now a dilemma arises. Can it be considered cheating when the couple made a deal before Kihyun’s departure that while the photographer is gone they’ll take a break from each other and whatever happens, happens? In many ways, he can relate to the younger’s resolution. During his relationship with Hyungwon he’s felt insecure about their situation and about the other’s feelings and if he were in a similar environment like Kihyun, he might have retorted to the same decisions. And there’s one more thing, something that hits even closer to home. What does it say about him if he’s able to look over Kihyun’s little slip but never trust Hyungwon again when his ex-boyfriend didn’t even admit to it?

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually. Hoseok loves you a lot…” is all that Minhyuk’s able to say. The discussion brought some very uncomfortable thoughts and, without thinking, he seeks some immediate comfort. Which just so happens to be in the form of the cute ‘worry eater’ Hyunwoo’s bought him for Christmas. Hugging the little plushie tight eases his distress, even if only slightly, but it’s enough to give him the energy to change the subject of his conversation with Kihyun. “So tell me more about Lyon. And you still have to send me photos from Paris!”

 

***

 

By the time Minhyuk figures out that he and Hyunwoo have been having dinner together every night either at his new apartment or back at Hyunwoo’s, it’s already Valentine’s day. And without realizing, they’ve started acting like a domestic couple, meeting up after they were both done with their day, doing groceries together and then even cooking together - though Hyunwoo helped mainly with chopping things. Totally not because his arms looked so nice while he was handling a knife, of course not, Minhyuk’s not that immature to assign his friend such a task for such perverted reasons. Slowly, they’re running out of netflix movies they can watch together, having already spent so many hours in front of the television together.

Tonight, after finishing their meal and leaving all the dirty dishes in the sink for later, they once again find themselves in Minhyuk’s living room, Hyunwoo not so discreetly eyeing the younger’s backside as the redhead keeps searching for something in an old worn out box with memories. “Aha!” the host shouts triumphantly, holding up a DVD whose cover was full of foreign letters. “Kihyun gave this to me, it’s supposed to be some fancy artsy movie.” Hyunwoo just blinks unphased, slightly disappointed his view is gone once the disk is inserted into the video player and everything is ready when Minhyuk occupies his usual position by his side, their thighs barely touching. It’s not surprising at all though when this changes not even twenty minutes into the movie, the younger leaning into his hyung so heavily that Hyunwoo drapes his arm across Minhyuk’s shoulder so both of them are more comfortable.

Unfortunately for the two Korean men, not only was the movie in English (with some strange accent on top of it), but the subtitles were also in English which lead to them heavily relying on the images to understand what exactly is going on. Something about a guy in a new city so far, that much they could figure out. But then comes in the plot twist, slapping the unsuspecting victims in the face with a scene where the protagonist is making out with another guy and even going as far as pulling him into his own bedroom. “Great...plot,” Minhyuk comments on the side, cheeks red and flushed. The fact that he’s all snuggled up against Hyunwoo doesn’t help his case one bit. The dancer only hums in reply, awkward and quiet like most of his friends would describe his personality.

The film goes on with its strange plot that becomes too difficult for either of them to decipher at the end of a long week and sometime not long after the first kiss scene, they both give up trying to comprehend why the hero suddenly had to fly to another city, leaving his boyfriend behind. “Hyung…” Minhyuk finds himself calling out in a whisper. Hyunwoo doesn’t dare to glance in his direction, knowing that if he locks eyes with the pretty fairy he’s lost. However, he didn’t take into consideration what that fairy’s intricating mind could come up with this time when he asks Hyunwoo,  “How come you are single?”

Hyunwoo blinks confused then finally turns to Minhyuk only to notice that their faces are just a few inches apart - when did they get this close? His breathing catches in his throat while his eyes are drawn to how Minhyuk’s long lashes cast a little shadow on his cheeks, to how soft the boy looks beside him and most of all, his eyes glide across that beautiful face down to pink lips bitten from nervosity. Minhyuk’s eyes sparkle with the same sincerity that drew Hyunwoo in all those months ago in some Seoul cafe where they met. Maybe it’s time for him to be sincere too. “Because the one I like has gone through a rough period,” he admits then gulps down some nervousness before he continues. “And it wouldn’t have been fair to make a move.”

Tentative fingers brush against the side his neck before cupping his jaw properly, gazes drawn to each other like magnets. “I’m sure the rough period is over though,” Minhyuk whispers, his tongue darting out to lick at his moist lips, still glossed with strawberry lip balm. Hyunwoo immediately follows the movement much to Minhyuk’s inner glee. “And whoever ends up on the other side of your affection is a very lucky person.” Certain now that he is not projecting things, Hyunwoo tilts his head slightly before leaning in and closing the gap between their lips. Minhyuk sighs into the kiss and wraps both his arms around Hyunwoo’s neck, pulling him closer like he wanted to so many times since the first time their lips have touched.

Unlike one would expect giving their contrasting natures and the initial awkward atmosphere they couldn’t get rid off when they were almost forced to share a living space, kissing comes naturally to them like their mouths have been crafted especially to taste one another. It’s sweet and reassuring and Minhyuk feels treasured for once when Hyunwoo caresses his cheek gently before slowly deepening the kiss. It’s all too easy for him to pull the older on top of him until they’re both horizontal on his cheap couch. And it just feels so normal to find himself in the dancer’s embrace, to get lost in the intoxicating scent of his cologne and melt into their liplock. For the first time in so long, he feels content.

But their touches grow hungrier by the minute until Minhyuk, impatient like always, decides to take it a step farther and sneaks his hands under Hyunwoo’s large hoodie, fingers earning to touch the heated golden skin hidden beneath. The black haired pulls away then, almost giving his precious fairy a panic attack thinking he did something wrong, but Minhyuk calms down immediately when he sees all Hyunwoo wanted to do was take off his sweatshirt. And then his heart does a summersault when it sinks in that he has a half-naked Hyunwoo on top of him, very eager to make out with him and breathing is suddenly a very difficult task. Yet he manages to let out a trembled, “D-do you wanna go to the bedroom?”

It shouldn’t be surprising by now that Hyunwoo is much better at expressing himself through actions instead of words, but it still makes Minhyuk yelp when suddenly two hands grab his ass and force him to wrap his legs tightly around the older’s waist. The dancer raises up from the couch and onto his feet with the redhead clinging to him like a baby koala. He is so flustered he starts giggling uncontrollably, which also eases Hyunwoo’s nervousness as he plunges into unknown territory. Still, he has no hesitation when diving in for another kiss and just embracing the whole vibrating rainbow that is Minhyuk, getting high on the exhilaration found in the younger’s orbs. It tastes of strawberries and new promises, and it feels like a blooming flower growing with a root in each of their chests.

“Have you been with guys before?” Minhyuk manages to ask, a whimper following his words as he feels Hyunwoo’s crotch pressed closely to his own, a distinctive hardness making his mouth water. To the older’s absolute horror and Minhyuk’s giddiness, the dancer shakes his head all flustered, his face redder than the other’s dyed hair. To cover his awkwardness, Hyunwoo proceeds to continue his task of undressing Minhyuk and, at the same time, answers the boy’s unuttered question - ‘are you sure about this?’. And it’s true that he is a pretty indecisive person who goes with the flow most of the time without thinking much about the future, yet when it comes to this person beneath him he is certain. He wants Minhyuk, did so yesterday and will keep on doing for quite a long time if his heart has something to say about it.

“I can show you then how it’s done.” Perhaps the redhead didn’t mean to sound as sensual as he did, but to Hyunwoo’s excited mind his voice sounded like pure eroticism. And all he can manage to say when his mouth feels like dry sand is, “Ah.” So Minhyuk guides him shyly in the dark room lit only by his lamp on the nightstand that casts pink shadows on his ivory skin. It’s strange for someone used to being very open about himself to suddenly feel _too open_ in front of somebody else. Should it be surprising though? Minhyuk has always felt unusually shy around Hyunwoo and now he can only do as much as not bury his face in a pillow embarrassed right after getting the lube out of his nightstand drawer. He’s no prude by any means and already had a couple of people roll around in his bed so far, and still, this once appears to be much more intimate even in comparison to his longest relationship to date - Hyungwon.

But his ex-boyfriend’s name passes by only transiently through his mind without lingering, which was bound to happen considering Hyungwon’s the last person he had sex with. Tonight, however, it is not about Hyungwon, not even one tiny bit. This is all about him and Hyunwoo and their genuine feelings, this is them finally claiming what they truly want. So he starts slow, not sure how much into this Hyunwoo actually is and a bit more than scared that the older will think of this necessary step as unappealing if not downright disgusting. After all, he is dealing with a guy who’s been straight all his life. Minhyuk winches at the squirting noise of the bottle and the sound of the cap being closed is way too loud for his quiet apartment. Or is it only that they both forgot how to breathe?

Wanting to get on with it faster and eventually be able to please the brunet like he’d love to, Minhyuk wastes no second in waiting for the lube to warm up in his hand and instead sinks in his middle finger inside him. The burning sensation, as well as the coldness, makes his breath hitch before he starts stretching himself out to the best of his abilities. It’s been a while. Hesitantly, he gets the courage once again to look at his new lover only to notice Hyunwoo already staring back at him, gaze so intense it makes his skin crawl. “You’re wearing too many clothes,” he whispers to the other, biting on his lip a bit harder than necessary while watching Hyunwoo take off his pants and underwear, his erection springing to full attention in front of the redhead’s clouded eyes. Good lord, he couldn’t wait to have _that_ inside of him.

He hurries up and gets one more finger in so he can scissor himself properly, but his hand freezes in place when he feels another travel up his calves and up to his thighs. Hyunwoo was warming up to the unfamiliar situation at hand, step by step becoming more than just a bystander. His hands, although rough looking and definitely strong, feel soft and gentle pressed against Minhyuk’s skin so close to where the younger doesn’t dare to ask to be touched. But it still works miracles in getting the redhead to enjoy himself and his muscles relaxed, the previous tension slipping out of him the more Hyunwoo’s hands caressed his body. And then, there are lips pressed against his own again, burning and hungry but also sweet and patient in coercing a smile out of Minhyuk.

“O-oh!!” A sudden loud moan fills the room, closely followed by a low chuckle. Minhyuk stares wide-eyed at Hyunwoo’s proud grin, the dancer so pleased with himself after eliciting such a strong reaction out of the redhead. The deep breaths he takes do little help on his horn-mad heart when Hyunwoo - who has been straight all his life, Minhyuk would like to argue - adds one of his own fingers besides the younger’s pair and moves it around expertly. He supposes there’s not much difference between genders when it comes to fingering, but just the fact that a part attached to Hyunwoo’s body is inside of him gets Minhyuk’s cock to twitch. “F-fuck,” the redhead whimpers, sweat gliding down his throat as he keeps staring at Hyunwoo’s hand after another digit joined the first one.

The stretch is almost too much so he quickly retreats his own fingers before reaching one more time for the bottle of lube. Hyunwoo does a better job than himself, which completely blows his mind and melts his brains away as he curses all of the dancer’s exes who have been lucky enough to turn the brunet into a pro. But in the end, he guesses he should actually be thankful for their existence. Minhyuk, in turn, is a giving person and he wants Hyunwoo to receive at least as much pleasure as he does so with his hand slicked up, he reaches for the other’s heavy shaft and tugs on it slowly. It is only a semi, but Minhyuk plans to turn it quickly into a real full erection. If the older’s fingers weren’t inside him preparing him for what is to come, he’d quickly turn things around so he could suck on that magnificent cock.

For now, he limits himself to jerking his lover off, thumb rolling the beads of precum around his glans as he gradually picks up the speed. He’s barely been going at it - and really enjoying it, might he add - for a couple of minutes when Hyunwoo’s free hand stops him. He looks up confused at the other’s crimson face, not understanding why he can’t continue while Hyunwoo is so close to finding his prostate. “If you do that I’ll…” Minhyuk has to hold back from cooing at the adorable display in front of him, somehow it doesn’t seem to fit the context but seeing the other so flustered is such a sadic endearment. “Ah...I haven’t been with anyone for a while,” Hyunwoo tries to justify himself even if it doesn’t matter at all. Minhyuk would still want to have his way with him hours long even if the older were a virgin. Still, the confession gets him curios.

“And how long is a while?”

Hyunwoo hesitates, seemingly thinking and counting before answering, “About eight.” Minhyuk blinks confused again, that’s not such a long time especially when you think about how much time together they spend since Christmas. Of course, Hyunwoo didn’t get laid in the past two months with him around like a parasyte choosing its new host. “Eight weeks?” the redhead asks to be sure. The answer he receives makes his jaw drop to the floor.

“Ah…” Hyunwoo hesitates again before letting the cat out of the bag. “Eight months.” Minhyuk almost chokes on his spit. To think that he was complaining about his sex life lacking before while the true reincarnation of Adonis was doing even worse. Not anymore though because he is very determined to give Hyunwoo all the pleasures his body has to offer for as long as the older accepts him. Tentatively, Minhyuk presses his lips against Hyunwoo’s plush ones firmly, pulling him closer and trying to convey just how much he wants him in this moment. How much he wants it not to be the one and only time they are united so intimately, the only time Hyunwoo holds him close and has that warm spark in his eyes when he looks at him.

“I suppose you don’t have a condom with you, do you?” he asks with a giggle and a timid smile blooming on his beautiful face, fingers gently stroking black locks. Hyunwoo shakes his head shyly while he still probs around inside of Minhyuk, searching with determination for something he’s heard of from Hoseok during one of their weirdest talks. and finally. “Oh, f-fuck!” the redhead cusses loudly, voice close to a dolphin shriek as he feels his prostate get stimulated ever so slightly. Hyunwoo managed to find it without even being guided to it or Minhyuk explaining how much pleasure touching that spot can bring. “There, _there_ ,” he begs with glazed orbs searching for Hyunwoo, hands gripping Hyunwoo’s biceps tightly and nails digging into the golden skin. “Please, hyung. I need you now.”

Like some horny teenage carried over by the increased wave of hormones, Hyunwoo almost jumps Minhyuk as though he were some kind of prey, lured in by all those tempting words. The younger’s pained face stops him instantly, however, from inserting more than just the tip of his cock. “A-ah, with guys,” Minhyuk tries to explain, a deep blush dying his cheeks and a frown twisting his features to show his distress. “You need to use much more lube so…” the sentence drifts off, distorted by Minhyuk reaching for the bottle again and pouring some of that clear liquid between the two of them. The second attempt goes much smoother and instead of a biting sensation making his whole body paralyzed, Minhyuk sighs in content as Hyunwoo sinks in completely. He feels so full and so wanted and his chest is about to explode from the look the dancer’s giving him.

“Hyunwoo…” Minhyuk calls out softly, pulling the other down for a deep and loving kiss. Hyunwoo shows the same patience from before, his thrusts slow but deep enough to stir already the beginning of a powerful orgasm. It’s so different from his high school boyfriend where everything was about experimenting, different from the random hookups just to relieve himself once he entered college, and different from Hyungwon. So different from Hyungwon and not just because where the poet is all skin and bones, Hyunwoo has hard muscles and a built frame. There’s something so different in the way Hyunwoo holds him close, in the way he kisses Minhyuk like he’s somebody precious he wants to protect, in the way his eyes sparkle when they look into Minhyuk’s own dark orbs. It makes him feel safe and cared for.

“More, please, I want more,” Minhyuk whines, hiding his face in the crook of Hyunwoo’s neck and wrapping his spread legs around the older’s waist instead. It significantly changes the angle at which Hyunwoo’s thrusts are aimed at and encourages the dancer to stop holding back out of fear of hurting his petite lover. The redhead’s hands travel everywhere they can reach, trying to map out Hyunwoo’s body inside his mind - hopefully, he’ll get to learn it better later on. Sweetly and softly, he tells his hyung what to do, where to touch, what feels good, teaching him whatever knowledge he’s gathered over the years regarding sex with another man. The second Hyunwoo’s hand lowers itself between the two of them and starts jerking Minhyuk off a bit too rough, the younger’s eyes roll to the back of his head.

It takes embarrassingly short for both of them to get really worked up and when Hyunwoo starts thrusting into him irregularly, hard and deep and with no sense of pace, Minhyuk knows the brunet is just as close as him. There’s electricity running wild all across his body, goosebumps rising up where hands skim over and a bugging thought excites him further: where will Hyunwoo cum? Whether he’s gonna get filled up with thick and white foam or have it splashed across his stomach, or maybe Hyunwoo’s gonna be more perverted than he takes him for and ask to cum in his mouth or just turn him around with no warning and paint Minhyuk’s ass. “A-ah, Minhyuk,” Hyunwoo suddenly groans and it’s the hottest thing he’s heard in his whole life.

Next thing he knows, the dancer is holding both of their cocks in his hand big like a bear paw and rubbing them out. There’s a focused frown knitting Hyunwoo’s eyebrows and Minhyuk would lean in to kiss it were it not for the overwhelming pleasure that suddenly hits him in the head. Their orgasms mix on the younger’s flat stomach just like their moans blend in together in the room while their souls connect. _Amazing_ , Minhyuk thinks as he tries to catch his breath, hands coming up to hide his blushing face. If somebody would have told him months ago that he’s gonna find a man to put back the pieces of his broken heart, he’d have called them a dirty liar. Everything is amazing about Hyunwoo, about Hyunwoo being in his bed, about Hyunwoo caring for him the way he does. Without any reason at all, he starts giggling but the dancer mistakes the sound for quiet sobs.

“Did I...ah, did I do something wrong?” he asks with obvious worry in his voice. Minhyuk shows his face then, smiling widely and glowing with a joy that makes Hyunwoo mentally associate him with an angel. The redhead shakes his head twice before giving the silly bear a loving peck. “No, everything’s perfect. You’re perfect, hyung,” Minhyuk tries to reassure his lover who exhales in relief. Ever the gentleman, Hyunwoo grabs tissues and helps Minhyuk to clean up before a needed shower. But that can wait, Minhyuk decides, mind and body at rest as he pulls the buff man next to him on his too small bed. Hyunwoo’s arms fit around his frame like a glove, as though they were made especially to hold Minhyuk tightly.

“Does this mean next time we go out, we’ll call it a date?” the younger grins, the playful glint in his eyes only intensifying when Hyunwoo nods in agreement. He likes it - a lot. He could really get used to this harmony and sense of security that only the dancer has been able to provide him. Perhaps, it’s true what they say about heartbreaks - they show you what you’ve really been missing on in life. Because for once everything is at peace. And after such a long time nothing hurts.

 

***

 

“What are you thinking about?” Hyunwoo inquires giving his boyfriend a strange look. It’s not totally unusual for Minhyuk to start giggling out of the blue with no explanation whatsoever, but the honey blond has been smiling like a lunatic for a long time now. Not that Hyunwoo minds, not at all when it shows just how happy his beloved truly is. Minhyuk’s smile has been his main reason to wake up in the morning for the past years. And hopefully, it will be this way for many more. The kindergarten teacher looks up at him with that soft look that turns Hyunwoo into mush and still kicks the air out of his lungs. “I was just thinking about some things, you know our anniversary is coming up. It always cracks me up when I remember that foreign movie we watched.”

Hyunwoo hums, arm draped around Minhyuk’s frame pulling his boyfriend closer and not just to share some more body heat on the frozen street. Dambi is snuggled up in the blond’s jacket, their poor baby shivering from the cold but walks are necessary even in winter. “Ah, we watched a movie?” the professional dancer asks, although he remembers the details of that night exactly. Minhyuk knows the older is joking by the way his lips are crooked into a grin - the corporatist advertisement grin that could sell even the dumbest of products (Hoseok always contradicts him on this one and says it’s simply dumb). “You know what I’m talking about!” Minhyuk argues while hitting the older’s chest. Not like Hyunwoo could feel it through two sweaters and a thick jacket.

Snow cracks beneath their boots while they walk by the Han river holding on to each other. It’s a familiar path they take once a few days with their tiny puppy, whether it’s winter or summer. Most of the time they end up visiting Hyungwon and Hoseok right after, their new apartment not that far from one of their favorite takeout shops. Sometimes they change it up and drop by unexpectedly at Kihyun’s place only to have Changkyun open the door instead - though both of them deny that they’ve moved in together. “I think we should head back now, Son Dambi is shaking worse than a vibrator,” Minhyuk giggles, dropping inappropriate words in the middle of the day while in open public. The ideal kindergarten teacher, of course.

“Ah, not yet,” Hyunwoo says, purposefully pulling the other closer to him and closer to the frozen river. “There’s something I wanted to show you actually.” Minhyuk blinks confused and uneven, making this moment even harder for the brunet as his hands shake inside his pockets. He manages however to control the tremble enough to point towards something behind Minhyuk, just so his boyfriend would turn around and try to find whatever Hyunwoo supposedly wanted to show him. “What? What am I looking for? Hyunwoo, I can’t see anything!” he whines cutely knowing that would get his boyfriend to hug him tightly again. When the older doesn’t say anything though, nor does he feel his presence behind him, Minhyuk realizes something is up and slowly looks back at the brunet only to gap at the sight of a kneeled Hyunwoo.

“Lee Minhyuk,” he starts out and Minhyuk almost responds with a small ‘here’ just like his precious children do when he does a roll call. But all words are trapped up his throat, each hurrying to get out faster and instead, blocking his airways until he’s almost choking for a breather. It feels like one of the dramas he enjoys binge watching to then shittalk with the double H couple. And just like in one of those dramas, thin snowflakes start falling down from white fluffy clouds, resting on Hyunwoo’s dark hair softly and making the scenery complete. “I love you more than Dambi does his pink blanket, more than Hoseok and his ramen, more than I love to dance. And I will keep doing that for the rest of our lives, I want to make you happy and give you all that you wish for. So…” Hyunwoo’s proposal comes out slow, calculated and calm, yet the nervousness that’s eaten his brains since he’s bought the ring gets his voice to crack right before the important question and just as he realizes he’s forgotten the most important part.

“Ah, yeah…” the pseudo-bear mumbles troubled and pulls a velvety box out of his pocket, his heart beating much faster when he notices the tears streaming down Minhyuk’s face. “Will you marry me?” it comes out awkward and clumsy, yet the love and devotion Hyunwoo carries for his boyfriend is more than evident in the timid look plastered on his face. In the blink of an eye, Hyunwoo loses his balance and falls off in snow with five feet ten of hysteric honey blond on top of him. “Of course I will marry you!!” Minhyuk shouts so loud Hyunwoo has no doubt that the whole neighbourhood heard them. People are staring and Dambi is whimpering from being crushed between their chests, but he doesn’t care one bit. Nothing matters, absolutely nothing matters but the fact that he and Minhyuk will spend the rest of their living days together.

 

A lifetime of sunshine, a lifetime shared with the most precious fairy on earth, a lifetime of utter happiness. Hyunwoo couldn’t ask for more.

  
  


“What’s with those comparisons though?” Minhyuk giggles later, the sound pleasantly tickling Hyunwoo’s neck. Their bed is warm and Minhyuk is warm and sex always gets him sleepy so he almost didn’t catch that question, but his fiance knew him well enough by now to repeat it after vehemently poking at his chest. “Ah, that,” he mumbles sleepily and pulls his sun even closer if possible. “Hyungwon’s idea. He suggested I compare how much I love you with some already established pairs.”

“Ah, of course, Hyungwon would think Hoseok and ramen fit in a proposal,” the slightly shorter one shakes his head amused.

“Actually, that’s on me,” Hyunwoo confesses embarrassed, making Minhyuk coo and pinch his cheeks. “You silly bear. My hubby bear.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stay tuned for part 5 of this series - coming soon ^^


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